This week the main topic revolved around how to spot a fraud…..website that is. Not everything you read on the internet is true (I know, what a shock!) but that’s the reality of things. You need to be careful what you believe, and be careful what you share! If it seems fishy, it probably is not the real deal.
What should you do if you think it’s bogus?
- If it seems extreme, it’s most likely a stretch of the truth or completely fabricated in the first place. To use an example originally from Michigan State University “What’s more likely to catch your attention? Correlation found between chocolate consumption and heart health, or Want to have a healthy heart? Eat Chocolate!” The more eye-catching and extreme it is, the more likely it is to be clickbait and therefore fake. They want you to click because that is how they make money.
- Look at the domain- If its a .com.co address, it’s most likely a phony site.
- How does the headline make you feel? If the answer is angry or upset- you guessed it!- It’s probably fake. The more they manipulate your emotions, the more likely you are to click on it. They want you to feel upset and remember their false news so you can spread it, rather than spread the truth which is less “exciting” or likely to make you feel the need to act. Political fake news is extremely notorious for this. If the article names something that makes you ask “how could they possibly do that?” it’s probably because they didn’t; they just want you to think it’s true. If you do that then they can manipulate you into getting what they want. The best bet for us all is to find the true facts and make your own opinion about it.
- As I mentioned above, check it out! If it seems ridiculous, then see who else is talking about it. If no one else is, then it’s probably fake news. Or even better, they might have debunked it altogether. Cross checking your news may seem tedious, but would rather it be right or easy? If you can’t find anyone else talking about it, use one of the many numerous fact checking websites to find the truth.
How can I tell when it seems so realistic?
- Look for their statement of ethics. All legitimate news sources will have a statement that tells you their journalistic code.
- Do they have a correction policy? All news sources get it wrong some times. It. happens, we understand. But. what do they do when. they need to fix it? If the answer is nothing, then watch out.
- Are their sources named? If so What do they say is the reason why not. If it’s full of “anonymous” sources, then it’s doubtful those sources even exist.
- Does is specify what kind of piece it is? Is it an opinionated editorial or fact checked news source? If the article doesn’t specify, then it might be fake.
- Lastly, what other work has the author done? Check out their other pieces and try to get a feel for the integrity of the writer.
Overall, it’s up to you do the work. It seems like a lot, but being informed is better than being quick. Let’s be a nation of smart readers, rather than clickbait consumers.
Amy's Temple Blog 